Textile treatment apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for treating textiles with steam and the like wherein a chamber is provided for passing textile material during treatment, the lower and upper walls of the chamber being heat conductive for transferring heat into the chamber, a steam dispenser for introducing the steam into the chamber, and means for heating the chamber walls to prevent condensation of steam on the walls.

United States Patent Roach Nov. 6, R973 [54] TEXTILE TREATMENT APPARATUS 1,952,825 3/1934 Sibson et al. 68/5 D 5] Inventor: William F. a Hurffvine Ni 3,045,46l 7/1962 Sa1to 68/5 E g Kingslfiy Dryer Corporation, Primary Examiner-Leon G. Machlin Hurffvllle, Att0rney-Robert K. Youtie [22] Filed: Dec. 27, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 212,086 ABSTRACT Apparatus for treating textiles with steam and the like 52 11.5. c1. 68/5 1), 34/157 wherein a chamber is Provided for Passing textile mate 51 Int. Cl. D06c 1/06 rial during treatment the lower and upper walls of the {58] Field 01 Search 34/157, 156, 155, Chamber being heat conductive for transferring heat 34/24; 165/107; 68/5 D, 5 C, 5 E 5 R into the chamber, asteam dispenser for introducing the steam into the chamber, and means for heating the 56] References Cited chamber walls to prevent condensation of steam on the UNITED STATES PATENTS Walls' 1,738,946 12/1929 Chapin et al. 68/5 D 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures I Patefited Nov. 6, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 amun mm #0 we M M m L n w KM/KW Patented Nov. 6, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I l I ll TEXTILE TREATMENT APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As is well known to those versed in the art, there have been proposed a wide variety of devices for the steam treatment of textiles. However, prior textile steam treating apparatus suffered disadvantages, being extremely costly to manufacture, install, operate and maintain, and usually resulting in dripping condensate harmful to the product and expensive to replace, or requiring high cost equipment to prevent condensation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide apparatus for the steam treatment of textiles which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, erect, install and maintain, requires minimal steam generating or boiler facilities, effectively eliminates dripping condensation and resultant damage to materials being treated, and further provides effective and economic usage for otherwise wasted heat.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a continuous textile treating apparatus having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph which is extremely simple in construction and operation, durable and reliable throughout a long useful life, and which is otherwise well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

While the apparatus of the present invention has been primarily developed for use in the textile industry, particularly for the steam treatment of a textile web, and is illustrated and described hereinafter with particular reference thereto, it is appreciated and understood that the instant invention is capable of many varied applications, all of which are intended to be comprehended herein.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by.the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a transverse sectional elevational view of steam treatment apparatus for textiles constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial longitudinal elevational view showing the apparatus of FIG. 1, partly broken away to illustrate interior construction and operation.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along either of the lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the overall apparatus of the present invention is generally designated 10, and may be mounted on a suitable support, as in a concrete recess or pit 11, if desired.

The apparatus may include a generally rectangular outer structure or housing 12, which is effectively insulated to thermally isolate the interior of the housing from the exterior or surrounding environs. In particular, the housing 12 may include a pair of parallel, longitudinally extending, upstanding side walls 13, upstanding from the base 11 and terminating in an upper wall 14 disposed generally horizontally and extending laterally across and between the upper regions of the side walls. The end walls of the housing 12 upstand generally vertically, as at 15 and 16, see FIG. 3, to close opposite ends of the housing 12, except for suitable textile web inlet and outlet means, such as horizontal slots, the end walls being effectively insulated, and their feed and discharge openings being preferably baffled, or the like, to minimize heat loss.

Disposed generally horizontally within the housing 12, extending longitudinally therewithin, is a lower or bottom wall 20. The lower or bottom wall 20 extends laterally between the side walls 13, being spaced over the support surface or bed 11, and is longitudinally coextensive with the housing. For purposes appearing more fully hereinafter, the bottom wall 20 is preferably of high heat conductivity, say being fabricated of metal, such as stainless steel, or other suitable high conductivity material.

Disposed within the upper region of the housing 12, extending laterally across and between the side walls 13, is a generally horizontal top wall 21, also longitudinally coextensive with the housing and preferably of high heat conductivity construction, such as suitably corrosion resistant metal.

It will thus be'appreciated that the interior of the housing 12 is subdivided into a vertically central, textile treating chamber or passageway 25 between the bottom and top walls 20 and 21, a lower hollow chamber or jacket 26 beneath the bottom wall 20, and an upper jacket or chamber 27 above the top wall 21.

More particularly, the textile treating-main chamber 25 is defined within the space between the housing side walls 13, bottom and top walls 20 and 21, and housing end walls 15 and 16. The latter are provided with textile web inlet and outlet means (not shown), which may be conventional, so that the main chamber 25 serves to define a through passageway for a textile web 28, as will appear more fully hereinafter.

The lower and upper heat chambers or jackets 26 and 27 may each be substantially closed, consistent with maximum thermal efficiency and safety, including respective heating means or heaters 29 and 30, as well as suitable fuel and air feed, and products of combustion removal, which may be conventional and is therefore not shown. Further, the heat jackets 26 and 27 may each be provided with a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending partitions or walls, as at 31 in lower jacket 26 and 32 in upper jacket 27. The longitudinal partitions or walls 31 and 32 may extend from one end of the respective heat chamber or jacket, toward and terminate short of the other end, as seen in FIG. 3, and heater 29, 30 being located at said other jacket end. Remote from the heater 29, 30 in each of the jackets 26, 27, there are provided a pair of laterally spaced circulating fans or blowers 33 and 34. That is, a fan or circulating means 33, 34 is mounted on each respective partition or wall 31, 32, remote from the associated respective burner 29, 30 for circulating heated fluid within the jacket. Thus, as best seen in FIG. 3, the circulating fans or blowers 33 draw heated gas horizontally along the longitudinally central or laterally medial region 35, between partitions or walls 31, as indicated by arrows 36, the heated fluid being passed through the fans or blowers 33 to the respective longitudinally extending, laterally outer regions 37, passing in the direction of arrows 38 for return past the heater 29 in the direction of arrows 39 for return to the central region 35. Thus, the longitudinal interior partitions or walls 31 combine with the circulating fans or blowers 33 and the remaining structure of the heat chamber or jacket 26 to define therein a pair of endless courses of heated fluid circulation within the lower jacket. The upper jacket 27 similarly includes heated fluid circulating means defining endless courses of fluid movement. Thus, the heating jackets 26 and 27 serve to effectively heat the respective bottom and top walls 20 and 21, and thereby transmit heat by conduction to chamber 25.

As the upper heating jacket 27 may be essentially identical to the lower heating jacket 26, a detailed description of the former is not necessary. Suitable drive means, such as motors 45 and transmission means 46 may be connected in driving relation with the circulation means or fans 33; and similarly, motors 47 and transmission means 48 may be connected in driving relation with the upper circulation means or fans 34.

interiorly of the main housing chamber 25, there is provided a conveyor, generally designated 50, having an upper run or chain 51 extending longitudinally along and within the main chamber 25, closely beneath the top wall 21. The conveyor 50 may be an endless chain having laterally extending bars or rods for carrying the textile web 28 supported on the rods in a festooned condition. The conveyor 50 includes a lower, return run 52 which may move along the upper side of bottom wall 20. In conventional manner, the textile material 28 is fed into the housing 12 and draped over the transverse rods of the upper conveyor run, at the upstream end thereof, being removed therefrom and withdrawn from the housing at the downstream end of the upper run. Disposed protectively over the lower or return run 52 of the conveyor 50 may be an open work construction or grating, as at 53, say for supporting maintenance personnel walking thereon, and the like, without obstructing the heat transmission function of the bottom wall 20.

At longitudinally spaced locations along each housing side wall 13, interiorly of the treating chamber 25, there may be provided fluid conduits or riser ducts 55, each communicating at its lower and upper ends with lower and upper regions, respectively, of the treating chamber 25. Further, the fluid conduits or riser ducts 55 may each be provided at their lower regions with fluid movement means, fans or blowers, as at 56, for drawing fluid inwardly from lower regions of the chamber 25 and passing fluid upwardly into discharge into upper regions of the chamber. The circulating fans or blowers 56 may be provided with suitable motive means 57, and transmission or drive means 58.

Also located interiorly of the textile treatment chamber 25, say extending longitudinally therealong adjacent to the bottom wall 20, at opposite sides thereof, may be a pair of steam dispensers or steam spraying pipes 60. The steam is dispensed from elements 60 into the atmosphere within the treatment chamber 25, and moves vertically upwardly, as in the paths of arrows 61 within riser ducts 55, being discharged therefrom and moving downwardly, as along paths 62, in contact with the textile web 28. The relatively hot wall 20 and 21 of heat jackets 26 and 27, having surfaces exposed in treatment chamber 25, assure that steam remains vaporized, and further effects vaporization of any condensed steam or water. The dispensing of steam by dispensers may be suitably controlled, either manually or automatically, say in response to suitable instrumentation. Also, drainage means (not shown) may be provided in the bottom wall 20, for removing condensate or excess liquid.

It will now be understood that the textile treating apparatus described hereinbefore is extremely simple in construction and operation, being effectively completely self-contained, and otherwise fully accomplishes its intended objects.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for steam treating a textile web, said apparatus comprising a generally horizontal tunnel having opposite ends open for receiving and discharging the web and having insulated sides, upper and lower jacket chambers extending longitudinally along the upper and lower sides of said tunnel being closed to fluid communication therewith and having heat transfer characteristics with respect to said tunnel, combustion heat source means in said jacket chambers for transferring heat to the upper and lower walls of said tunnel to prevent condensation thereon and transfer heat to the tunnel, steam supply means in said tunnel, generally vertically extending steam ducts having their lower and upper ends opening into communication with the lower and upper regions of said tunnel and being closed to fluid communication with said jacket chambers, and fluid movement means associated with said ducts for recirculating steam through said ducts and generally vertically across said tunnel between the upper and lower regions thereof in heat receiving relation with said upper and lower jacket chambers.

2, Apparatus according to claim 1, in combination with circulation means in each of said jacket chambers for circulating heated fluid about an endless generally horizontal path in heat exchange relation with said tunnel through said upper and lower walls.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, said path including a heating run extending longitudinally along and in heating relation with said passageway, and a return means communicating between opposite ends of said heating run.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, said return means comprising a pair of return runs on opposite sides of said heating run.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, in combination with web conveying means in said tunnel comprising an upper run extending longitudinally through an upper region of said tunnel for conveying a festooned web, and a lower return conveyor run extending longitundinally through a lower tunnel region, said steam ducts being located laterally outwardly of said conveyor for effecting steam movement generally vertically through the festooned web. 

1. Apparatus for steam treating a textile web, said apparatus comprising a generally horizontal tunnel having opposite endS open for receiving and discharging the web and having insulated sides, upper and lower jacket chambers extending longitudinally along the upper and lower sides of said tunnel being closed to fluid communication therewith and having heat transfer characteristics with respect to said tunnel, combustion heat source means in said jacket chambers for transferring heat to the upper and lower walls of said tunnel to prevent condensation thereon and transfer heat to the tunnel, steam supply means in said tunnel, generally vertically extending steam ducts having their lower and upper ends opening into communication with the lower and upper regions of said tunnel and being closed to fluid communication with said jacket chambers, and fluid movement means associated with said ducts for recirculating steam through said ducts and generally vertically across said tunnel between the upper and lower regions thereof in heat receiving relation with said upper and lower jacket chambers. CM,2Ratus according to claim 1, in combination with circulation means in each of said jacket chambers for circulating heated fluid about an endless generally horizontal path in heat exchange relation with said tunnel through said upper and lower walls.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, said path including a heating run extending longitudinally along and in heating relation with said passageway, and a return means communicating between opposite ends of said heating run.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, said return means comprising a pair of return runs on opposite sides of said heating run.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, in combination with web conveying means in said tunnel comprising an upper run extending longitudinally through an upper region of said tunnel for conveying a festooned web, and a lower return conveyor run extending longitundinally through a lower tunnel region, said steam ducts being located laterally outwardly of said conveyor for effecting steam movement generally vertically through the festooned web. 